The UK Covid-19 inquiry reports that the Johnson government wastes close to £10bn on personal protective equipment (PPE) during the pandemic. Multiple outlets summarise the report’s findings that failures in the planning and procurement process leave some NHS staff poorly protected and result in large quantities of unusable or poor-quality PPE. The report also scrutinises how certain contracts were awarded during the health emergency.
Several sources focus on the inquiry’s criticism of the so-called “VIP lane”, a mechanism that gave some suppliers priority access to PPE contracts. The inquiry chair, Heather Hallett, is reported to have highlighted concerns that politically connected firms with Conservative (Tory) links received preferential treatment through this route. Other coverage describes additional procurement and stockpile problems, including issues that contributed to wasted spending.
The inquiry’s conclusions are described across outlets as damning and wide-ranging, with figures around £9.9bn to £10bn repeatedly cited as the amount wasted. Separately, one report notes that Northern Ireland wrote off £15.9m of PPE between 2022 and 2025, referencing the inquiry’s broader assessment of unused PPE.
